'Complex' sinkhole investigations remain ongoing

Investigations into the sinkholes in Godstone remain ongoing

Investigations into sinkholes which swallowed a large part of a Surrey road are continuing, while the county council has reaffirmed that repairing the road will be a slow process.

Residents from about 30 properties in High Street, Godstone, were told to evacuate as a result of the sinkholes in February – one of which measured 65ft (20m) in length.

While some families were previously told it may be up to a year before they could return, Surrey County Council announced in March that most residents could move back into their homes.

In an update on Friday, the council said once investigations and surveys had been completed, a plan for repair works would be designed.

'Several more months'

A major part of the project was reconnecting gas, electricity, water and telecoms in the area, the council said.

Temporary connections have been installed to get people back in the homes, but the main pipes and cables have been disconnected and will need repairing or replacing in the long term, it added.

A council spokesperson said that it "isn't a simple process" and would usually take several months for a utility company to plan, schedule and complete works of this kind.

The area affected by the collapse and the structure of the road will be fully reconstructed once the other repairs have been made, the council added.

Infrastructure manager Lloyd Allen said: "This continues to be a complex incident involving a number of factors and agencies, and as previously explained, it will take several more months to get the road fully reopened."